In Kentucky, Student Journalists Uncover Nazi Imagery In Police Training
In Kentucky, a high school newspaper uncovered a disturbing story. For years, the State Police had used a training manual celebrating quotations from Adolf Hitler. Today, the student journalists share the whole story with us.
Guests
Satchel Walton, writer for the DuPont Manual High School online publication The Manual RedEye. (@manualredeye)
Cooper Walton, writer for the DuPont Manual High School online publication The Manual RedEye.
Sadiqa Reynolds, president and CEO of the Louisville Urban League. Former judge. (@SadiqaReynolds)
Also Featuring
Pete Kraska, professor in the School of Justice Studies at Eastern Kentucky University.
Rabbi Robert Slosberg, rabbi at Congregation Adath Jeshurun in Louisville.
Sara Klein Wagner, president and CEO of the Jewish Community of Louisville.
From The Reading List
Manual RedEye: “KSP training slideshow quotes Hitler, advocates ‘ruthless’ violence” — “A training slideshow used by the Kentucky State Police (KSP) — the second largest police force in the state — urges cadets to be “ruthless killer[s]” and quotes Adolf Hitler advocating violence.”
Manual RedEye: “Kentucky law enforcement training used video with Nazi symbol” — “An online training used in 2020 by a Kentucky state law enforcement training agency features a Nazi symbol in a clip from an anti-Semitic video produced by a neo-Nazi media company.”
Manual RedEye: “UPDATE: KSP Commissioner Rodney Brewer resigns after 33 years” — “Kentucky State Police Commissioner Rodney Brewer will resign from his position at KSP on Nov. 4.”
Manual RedEye: “Despite claims, second Kentucky State Police slideshow suggests “ruthless” violence taught for years” — “A second Kentucky State Police (KSP) training slideshow created in 2001 and last edited in 2011 contains Hitler quotes and promotes ‘ruthless’ violence, suggesting earlier claims that this training was only used once in 2013 may not be true.”
Manual RedEye: “KSP “ruthless killer” training slideshow used as early as 1998” — “Kentucky State Police (KSP) trained cadets with a presentation that quoted Robert E. Lee and instructed them to be ‘ruthless killer[s]’ as early as 1998.”
Louisville Courier-Journal: “Kentucky State Police training advocating ‘ruthless killer’ mentality dates back decades” — “Kentucky State Police training materials exhorting cadets to embrace a ‘warrior mentality’ and be a ‘ruthless killer’ had been used by the agency since the late 1990s, The Courier Journal has found.”
On Point: “What’s The Connection Between Civilian Militias And The Police?” — “We talk to a former FBI agent who went undercover with right-wing militants in the 1990s about the groups’ overlap with law enforcement.”
This article was originally published on WBUR.org. [Copyright 2020 NPR]
